- Badrinath
Badrinath
dhaam is considered as one of the most sacred centres of pilgrimage
situated in the lofty Himalayan heights in the Tehri-Garhwal hill tracks
(Uttarakhand) at the height of 10,248 feet above sea level. The route to
Badrinath is one of the most arduous one due to the lofty hilly terrain,
curves and cliffs amidst the most scenically beautiful place on the
earth. - Kedarnath
Kedarnath is amongst the holiest pilgrimages for the devout Hindu. It is set amidst the stunning mountainscape of the Garhwal Himalayas at the head of the Mandakini River. Kedar is another name of lord Shiva, the protector & the destroyer. Shiva is considered the embodiment of all passions - love, hatred, fear, death & mysticism which are expressed through his various forms. - Gangotri
In the hinterlands of the Himalayas is Gangotri where, it is believed, Ganga, the stream of life, touched earth for the first time. According to the Hindu religious scriptures, the heavenly goddess Ganga manifested herself in the form
of
a river to absolve the sins of King Sagar's sons. After three
generations of severe penance, performed over several centuries, Ganga
conceded to descend to the Earth. At the legendary source of the river,
Goddess Ganga is worshipped in the form of deity. The Gangotri temple
was built in the early 18th century by a Gorkha commander, Amar Singh
Thapa and later rebuilt by the Maharaja of Jaipur. By November, Gangotri
is snowbound, and so the deity is taken 25 kms downstream to Mukhba, so
that her devotees are not thwarted. Despite the severe cold, however,
several "SADHUS" remain at Gangotri year round, even through
the very severe winter. Gomukh, the identified source of the river
Ganga, is 18 kms further uphill. The trek to Gomukh is gradual, and
severl pilgrims undertake the journey to pay homage to the river at its
known source. - Yamnotri
Yamunotri, the source of the river Yamuna, is the western most shrine in the Garhwal Himalayas, located on a flank of the Bandarpunch peak. The treck along the river bank is quite magnificent, dominated by a wide panorama of mountains. It is said that the temple of Yamunotri was built by Maharani Gularia of Jaipur in the last decade of the 19th century. In 1923 this was destroyed, with only the idols left, and was rebuilt. It was once again damaged in 1982. A hot water pool at Yamunotri is used for the preparation of "PRASAD" normally rice and potatoes, cooked by dipping them in the hot water, tied in cloth bags.
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